TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • Trump rejects lawyers attempt to resolve case involving sensitive materials before indictment

    Trump rejects lawyers attempt to resolve case involving sensitive materials before indictment

    Former President Donald Trump is said to have disregarded legal counsel to try to resolve the matter involving the confidential materials before a federal indictment that might result in jail time.

    Christopher Kise, one of Trump’s attorneys, suggested contacting the Justice Department to negotiate a deal involving the return of the records in order to keep Trump out of jail. However, three sources told The Washington Post late Wednesday that Trump opted against trying to settle after hearing other attorneys advise litigation.

    Accordingly, Kise in fall 2022 never reached out to prosecutors for a possible settlement. In mid-November, the Justice Department appointed special counsel Jack Smith to oversee the probe into Trump’s handling of classified documents he took from the White House to his Mar-a-Lago home.

    Fast-forward to June 9, the Justice Department unsealed a 37-count indictment against Trump. The former president pleaded not guilty to all counts in a federal court in Miami on Tuesday.

    Trump in a speech at his Bedminster golf club assured his supporters that nothing will stop his 2024 presidential bid – but he could face decades behind bars due to the federal charges.

    Kise did not comment on the report.

    Now Trump’s lawyers are forging forward with defending the ex-president.

    ‘President Trump has consistently been in full compliance with the Presidential Records Act, which is the only law that applies to Presidents and their records,’ Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told The Post.

    ‘In the course of negotiations over the return of the documents, President Trump told the lead DOJ official, “anything you need from us, just let us know.”

    ‘Sadly, the weaponized DOJ rejected this offer of cooperation and conducted an unnecessary and unconstitutional raid on the President’s home in order to inflict maximum political damage on the leading presidential candidate.’

    Trump has been relatively quiet since the historic day on Tuesday. On Wednesday, his 77th birthday, he made just a couple of posts on Truth Social about in indictment raising him millions of dollars and giving him ‘greater’ poll numbers. Early Thursday, he shared the full video of his remarks and thanked his supporters again.

  • Three people killed and 100 injured by tornado in Northwest Texas

    Three people killed and 100 injured by tornado in Northwest Texas

    A small hamlet in northwest Texas was devastated on Thursday by at least one tornado, resulting in three fatalities and up to 100 injuries.

    The Texas Panhandle, in the state’s northwest, was expected to experience a number of strong storms on Thursday morning, according to weather forecasts in the Lone Star State.

    Around 6.30am, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Amarillo predicted that “severe storms will likely develop in the eastern Panhandles this afternoon before shifting to the NE Panhandles after 7 PM.” Hail up to the size of a grapefruit, severe winds up to 75 mph, and flash flooding are all possibilities.

    Authorities quickly realized the storm had the potential to create tornados, and a large swathe of the Panhandle was placed under a tornado watch on Thursday afternoon.

    Buildings and vehicles show damage after a tornado struck Perryton, Texas, Thursday, June 15, 2023. (AP Photo/David Erickson)
    The tornado swept straight through Perryton’s central business district (Picture: AP)

    The NWS confirmed at least one tornado struck the region around 5.00pm.

    The small town of Perryton, only seven miles from the border with Oklahoma, fared the worst from the destructive storm.

    Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said the town took a ‘direct hit’ from the storm. The fire chief estimated at least 100 homes and trailers were destroyed.

    ‘It’s bad, it’s very bad,’ Perryton Mayor Kerry Symons said. ‘It’s non-stop crazy. It couldn’t have hit in a more vulnerable place.’

    Debris covers a residential area in Perryton, Texas, Thursday, June 15, 2023, after a tornado struck the town. (AP Photo/David Erickson)
    Officials estimated at least 100 homes were destroyed in Perryton (Picture: AP)

    Additionally, a large portion of Perryton’s main street was devastated, flattening many of the town’s restaurants, bars, and other businesses, as well as its town hall.

    A hospital official at Ochiltree General Hospital in Perryton said they treated between 75 to 100 people for injuries as of Friday morning. These have ranged from minor cuts and bruises to one patient with a collapsed lung.

    At least three people were killed during the storm, officials have confirmed. A fourth person is still unaccounted for.

    Mayor Symons said officials would not be able to provide an accurate count of fatalities until after search and rescue crews were finished combing through the ruins.

    Texas Governor Greg Abbott deployed emergency management resources to northwestern Texas on Thursday night, which included medical first responders, search and rescue teams, road crews, and personnel to help restore water.

    ‘I ask all Texans to join Cecilia and me in praying for our fellow Texans who have been impacted by this horrific storm,’ Abbott said in a press release. ‘Stay safe, Texas.’

  • Former US National Guard charged with “leaking classified documents”

    Former US National Guard charged with “leaking classified documents”

    A federal grand jury has indicted a former member of the US Air National Guard for allegedly posting sensitive information online.

    On Thursday afternoon in Massachusetts, Jack Teixeira, 21, was charged with six counts of wilfully keeping and transferring sensitive national defence information.

    Teixeira was detained by federal authorities after being apprehended by FBI officers on April 13 at his North Dighton residence.

    ‘The unauthorized removal, retention and transmission of classified information jeopardizes our nation’s security,’ stated Joshua Levy, the acting US attorney for Massachusetts.

    ‘Individuals granted access to classified materials have a fundamental duty to safeguard the information for the safety of the United States, our active service members, its citizens and its allies.

    ‘We are committed to ensuring that those entrusted with sensitive national security information adhere to the law.’

    Teixeira is accused of using his position as a systems administrator in the state guard’s 102nd Intelligence Wing to obtain classified Pentagon records and illegally post it on social media sites.

    He had top secret security clearance since July 2021 and was trained on properly handling classified information, according to the indictment.

    Teixeira is accused of sharing top secret records ‘regarding the compromise by a foreign adversary’ as well as information around providing equipment to Ukraine, the indictment reveals.

    He also disseminated ‘a government document discussing a plot by a foreign adversary to target United States forces abroad’ with specifics on how and where the attack was planned on the US, according to the indictment.

    Teixeira was reportedly the leader of a small online chat group on Discord that was believed to have uploaded hundreds of classified documents and photographs. Named Thug Shaker Central, the group apparently comprised of 20 to 30 members with a shared love of racist memes, video games and guns.

    Teixeira previously pleaded not guilty to the charges from the criminal complaint.

    If convicted, Teixeira could face up to 10 years in prison for each of the charges.

    Teixeira’s lawyer Michael Bachrach declined to comment on the indictment.

  • Gunman who shot and killed 11 Jews found guilty

    Gunman who shot and killed 11 Jews found guilty

    In Pittsburgh, a truck driver who displayed anti-Jewish sentiment was held responsible for the murder of 11 people in a synagogue.

    After breaking into a synagogue and opening fire on everybody he could find in an act of antisemitic terror, Robert Bowers was found guilty.

    His own solicitors confirmed from the start of the trial that he attacked and killed congregants at the Tree of Life synagogue on October 27, 2018, in the bloodiest attack on Jews in US history, therefore the guilty decision was anticipated.

    Jurors must now decide whether the 50-year-old should be sent to death row or sentenced to life in prison without parole as the federal trial shifts to a penalty phase expected to last several weeks.

    Bowers was tried on 63 criminal counts, including hate crimes resulting in death and obstruction of the free exercise of religion resulting in death.

    His lawyers had offered a guilty plea in return for a life sentence but prosecutors refused, opting instead to take the case to trial and pursue the death penalty.

    Most of the victims’ families expressed support for the decision.

    Bowers turned a sacred house of worship into a ‘hunting ground’, targeting his victims because of their religion, a prosecutor told jurors on Thursday.

    Reading the names of each of the 11 victims he killed, prosecutor Mary Hahn asked the jury to ‘hold this defendant accountable… and hold him accountable for those who cannot testify’.

    Bowers, who was armed with an AR-15 rifle and other weapons, also shot and wounded seven, including five responding police officers.

    Jurors were shown a prayer book with a bullet hole in it from the scene of the horrifying crime.

    Prosecutors also presented evidence of his deep-seated animosity toward Jews and immigrants.

    Over 11 days of testimony, jurors learned that Bowers had extensively posted, shared or liked antisemitic and white supremacist content on Gab, a social media platform popular with the far right, and praised Hitler and the Holocaust.

    Bowers told police that ‘all these Jews need to die’, Ms Hahn said.

    Survivors testified about the terror they felt that day including a woman who recounted how she was shot in the arm and then realised her 97-year-old-mother had been shot and killed right next to her.

    Andrea Wedner, the trial’s last witness, told jurors she touched her mother’s body and cried out, ‘Mommy’ before Swat officers led her to safety.

    With Bowers’s guilt established, survivors and family members of the victims are expected to tell the jury about the devastating impact of his crimes. The penalty phase is scheduled to start next week.

    Bowers’s attorneys did not mount a defence at the guilt stage of the trial, signalling they will focus their efforts on trying to save his life.

    They plan to introduce evidence that Bowers has schizophrenia, epilepsy and brain impairments.

    Defence lawyer Judy Clarke has also sought to raise questions about Bowers’s motive, suggesting to jurors that his rampage was not motivated by religious hatred but his delusional belief that Jews were committing genocide by helping refugees settle in the United States.

    The three congregations that shared the synagogue building – Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life – have spoken out against antisemitism and other forms of bigotry since the attack.

    The Tree of Life congregation is also working on a plan to overhaul the synagogue building – which still stands but has been closed since the shootings – by creating a complex that would house a sanctuary, museum, memorial and centre for fighting antisemitism.

    The trial took place three years after President Joe Biden said during his 2020 campaign that he would work to end capital punishment at the federal level and in states that still use it.

    His attorney general, Merrick Garland, has temporarily paused executions to review policies and procedures.

    But federal prosecutors continue to vigorously work to uphold already-issued death sentences and, in some cases, to pursue the death penalty at trial for crimes that are eligible, as in Bowers’s case.

  • Beating children is barbaric, so I don’t do it – Okyeame Kwame

    Beating children is barbaric, so I don’t do it – Okyeame Kwame

    Ghanaian rapper Okyeame Kwame is adamant that beating kids to discipline them physically is violent and opposes such practises. 

    As a father of two, Okyeame Kwame has never resorted to laying hands on his children when they make mistakes. Despite this, he can effectively correct their behavior and guide them in the right direction.

    During an interview on Joy Prime’s morning show, he shared his approach to dealing with his children’s misconduct.

    “I don’t beat my children. I consider it the most barbaric thing a human being can do. It is violent,” he expressed firmly. However, Okyeame Kwame emphasizes that pampering is not a part of their upbringing either. Instead, he employs his own method of training, which he refers to as the “role modalism strategy.”

    According to him, this technique works wonders because children tend to mimic the behavior of older individuals. He explained, “I utilize the concept of mirror neurons through role modalism. Whatever I want my children to do, I lead by example. If I want my children to respect women, I demonstrate respect toward my wife. If I want them to adopt healthy eating habits, I embrace a healthy lifestyle myself.”

    Not only does Okyeame Kwame oppose corporal punishment, but he also dislikes the practice of shouting at children. Instead, he believes in granting his children the freedom to live and develop independently. He respects their privacy and provides them with the space they need to build their own identities.

    Okyeame Kwame says he strives to create a loving and respectful environment for his children to thrive.

    He also applauded Ghana’s educational system for reviewing and reconsidering the use of corporal punishment.

  • Professor detained for ‘sex acts with a pet dog’

    Professor detained for ‘sex acts with a pet dog’

    An esteemed professor at a US university has been charged with having sex with his pet dog.

    According to reports, Themis Matsoukas, 64, and his border collie were caught on surveillance footage engaging in a sexual conduct in Rothrock State Forest, Pennsylvania.

    According to reports, the earlier-this-year video purportedly depicts the Penn State University professor near the restrooms, completely bare save for socks and shoes.

    After seeing the footage, The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources launched an investigation and, according to a criminal complaint, identified Matsoukas through personal items and his dog.

    It’s then alleged the distraught academic admitted to investigators he did it to ‘blow off steam’, reports fox43.com.

    He was charged on Tuesday with open lewdness, indecent exposure, sexual intercourse with an animal, and summary charges of cruelty to animals and disorderly conduct. 

    Matsoukas is a professor of chemical engineering and has been at Penn State University since 1991. He has written a number of books and won distinguished teaching awards.

    However, following the allegations the university released a statement saying he’d ‘been relieved of his responsibilities and is on leave’. 

    Investigators allegedly caught him in the act in May, after using various items seen in the footage, including his collie, a North Face backpack, ski mask and an electronic tablet to identify the teacher.

    According to charging documents, when officials executed warrants to search his home, Matsoukas became ‘visibly nervous’.

    He initially denied any knowledge of the sexual acts, it said, but panicked when officers told him they believed he knew why they were there.

    Officers say he began repeatedly saying: ‘I’m done, I’m dead’. He then begged officers to shoot him, telling them ‘I need to die’, the documents state.

    When asked about the motive behind the acts, he replied: ‘I do it to blow off steam’. 

    The documents state there are further images featuring Matsoukas’ backpack, suggesting his lewd habits date back to at least 2014.

    He also allegedly recorded himself while carrying out the acts using an electronic tablet, fox43.com reported.

    His lawyer, Matthew McClenahen, said on Wednesday it would be ‘inappropriate’ to comment on the matter at this time.

  • Viral Rastafarian couple appeared in court without a lawyer

    Viral Rastafarian couple appeared in court without a lawyer

    Daniel Chayah, also known as “Godpapa the Greatest,” and Jocelyn Chayah, also known as “Empress Lupita God Muzaria,” are alleged to have appeared in court without representation. 

    The TikTok stars, who have been accused of murdering two of their three children, made their second appearance in a Tema District Magistrate Court on Thursday, June 15, 2023, for trial, according to a graphic.com.gh report.

    Consequently, the court took notice that the couple lacked an attorney, and to resolve the situation, they have been directed to Legal Aid for the services of a lawyer.

    They are expected to reappear in court on June 26, 2023, and have currently been referred to undergo a psychiatric assessment.

    Background

    The viral social media couple, suspected to be mentally deranged and in need of medical attention, are suspected to have killed and buried two of their children.

    The police picked up the couple and arraigned them at the TDC Magistrate Court on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.

    Prior to that, the third boy, the youngest, reportedly fled home, and in a recent interview with KofiTV, he narrated some of his experiences in his parent’s care before he left home.

    The ‘Rastafarian’ couple recently became a sensation on social media, specifically TikTok, with the names ‘Godpapa the Greatest’ and ‘Empress Lupita’.

    They have shared many videos narrating their lifestyle, the kind of food they eat, why they decided to quit running a church, and why they are no longer Christians.

  • Nhyiraba Kojo Foundation release 12 inmates who were unable to pay their court fines

    Nhyiraba Kojo Foundation release 12 inmates who were unable to pay their court fines

    The Nhyiraba Kojo Foundation, also known as NK City Foundation, owned by Ghanaian musician, Nhyiraba Kojo, has displayed a remarkable act of compassion and social responsibility by facilitating the release of 12 inmates at the Sekondi-Takoradi Prisons who were unable to pay their court fines.

    This initiative, undertaken on June 15, 2023, reflects the foundation’s unwavering commitment to social causes and the well-being of individuals.

    Recognizing the challenging circumstances faced by inmates, who were incarcerated solely due to their inability to settle their fines imposed by the court, the Nhyiraba Kojo Foundation took it upon themselves to intervene and secure their freedom.

    Understanding the profound impact such an act can have on the lives of these individuals, the foundation extended its support beyond their release.

    After facilitating their release, the Nhyiraba Kojo Foundation organized a shopping excursion for the former inmates, ensuring that they could acquire basic necessities to restart their lives.

    Additionally, to celebrate their newfound freedom and provide a sense of joy and camaraderie, the foundation arranged a small party for the released individuals, allowing them to experience a moment of happiness after their time of hardship.

    It is worth noting that Nhyiraba Kojo, the founder of the Nhyiraba Kojo Foundation, experienced a personal encounter with the legal system earlier in the year.

    On April 28, 2023, he was sentenced to 30 days in prison by the Sekondi Commercial High Court for contempt.

    This sentence was imposed due to Nhyiraba Kojo’s failure to comply with an interlocutory injunction order, which demanded the cessation of noise pollution from his nightclub and the installation of soundproofing measures.

    Despite his own legal predicament, Nhyiraba Kojo demonstrated immense empathy and compassion by channeling his experiences into a positive force for change by leveraging the resources and influence of the Nhyiraba Kojo Foundation, he enabled the release of 12 individuals who were imprisoned solely because of their inability to pay fines.

    Nhyiraba Kojo Foundation frees 12 Inmates at Sekondi-Takoradi prisons unable to pay court fines

  • NPP set to garner GHC3.3m from presidential aspirants

    NPP set to garner GHC3.3m from presidential aspirants

    As the New Patriotic Party (NPP) prepares for its highly anticipated presidential primaries, the governing party is expected to receive a significant financial boost with an estimated total of GHC 3.3 million in contributions from the presidential aspirants. 

    With the deadline for filing nominations fast approaching, all presidential aspirants are gearing up to submit their forms to the party’s leadership. Alongside their nomination forms, the aspirants are also expected to make a payment of GHC300,000 to the party.

    Already, a total of 11 aspirants have picked nomination forms and have paid a non-refundable nomination fee of GHC50,000 as part of the requirements.

    If all the aspirants submit their forms, the NPP will make a total of GHC3,300,000.

    The NPP filing fee is GHC200,000 less than the NDC’s GHC 500,000 charged on the party aspirants.

    So far two aspiring candidates, former Trades Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia have filed their nomination. 

    The NPP headquarters was abuzz with political activity today, June 16, 2023, as Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia filed his nomination for the upcoming presidential primary. A throng of party supporters accompanied the Vice President to file his nomination. 

    He seized the opportunity to address the gathering, highlighting why he is the best candidate to lead the NPP post he primaries and the nation after the 2024 general elections. 

    For 22 years, according to the Dr Bawumia, he has never erred the party or prioritised his personal ambitions over the betterment of citizens and the ruling party.

    “From the President Kufuor era as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, through our years in opposition and now in government. During this period, I have sacrificed for the party. I have defended the party in good and challenging times.

    I have never wavered and I have a record of achievement and performance as Vice President of the Republic of Ghana,” he said.

    He emphasised that through thick and thin “I have shown unflinching loyalty to our party and government.”

    Some of the achievements of the Vice President include championing the country’s digital transformation such as mobile money interoperability between bank accounts and mobile wallets, digitisation of the national identity card and Universal QR Code payment system.

  • Driver’s mate dies tragically as fire catches trailer carrying coal tar

    Driver’s mate dies tragically as fire catches trailer carrying coal tar

    Tragedy struck on the busy Suhum-Nsawam highway this week as a detached tanker resulted in a fatal accident, claiming the life of one individual and leaving two drivers injured. 

    The incident is said to have occurred at Asuboi. 

    According to eyewitness accounts, the tanker, carrying coal tar, which was traveling to Suhum detached from its hauling vehicle while traveling along the highway. The sudden detachment caused the tanker to veer out of control, colliding with the other vehicle, a cargo truck. Both vehicles caught fire instantly.

    This resulted in both drivers sustaining various degrees of injury. Unfortunately, a driver’s mate who was unboard the tanker carrying the coal tar was burnt to death.

    Apparently, he was sleeping in the sleeper cap of the trailer and got burnt beyond recognition as a result of the incident.

    They drivers were rushed to the Nsawam government hospital for treatment while the charred body of the driver’s mate has been deposited at the morgue of the same hospital.

    Firefighters from the Ghana National Fire Service arrived at the scene to douse the fire.

    Police ensured the accident vehicles were towed from the road to ensure free flow of traffic after an hour of gridlock.

    Officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMo) were at the scene to manage the situation.

  • MPs partially responsible for the ‘toxic’ discussion atmosphere – late Jo Cox’s sister

    MPs partially responsible for the ‘toxic’ discussion atmosphere – late Jo Cox’s sister

    On the seventh anniversary of the murdered Labour MP Jo Cox’s death, her sister stated that politicians must take responsibility for the ‘toxic’ debating culture in Britain.

    Ms. Cox, 41, was shot and stabbed on June 16, 2016, in a street in Birstall, a town in West Yorkshire that is a part of her Batley and Spen district.

    Kim Leadbeater, who represented Labour and regained the same seat in 2021, voiced concern that the political climate will continue to be “very toxic” and characterised by “huge amounts of anger and division.”

    Ms Leadbeater, 47, urged fellow parliamentarians not to waste time launching personal attacks on each other.

    It takes just one person ‘caught up in that toxic culture’ for a life to be ‘lost forever’, she said.

    ‘When MPs behave badly it reflects badly on us all and it has a negative impact on democracy as a whole, and that is worrying,’ she told the i newspaper.

    ‘Whenever there are stories about MPs abusing the privilege they have, I find it deeply disturbing and upsetting in terms of the impact it has on democracy.

    ‘There are some individuals who have to take responsibility for that and my worry is that it makes people involved in politics want to leave – decent people leaving.’

    Ms Leadbeater spoke out hours after disgraced former prime minister, Boris Johnson, was branded a liar and a lawbreaker in the long-awaited Privileges Committee report.

    Mr Johnson was found to have deliberately misled parliament over Downing Street parties during the Covid lockdown.

    Ms Leadbeater also said MPs need to do more to use security measures available.

    Earlier this year, Metro.co.uk exclusively reported how more than a dozen cases of malicious communications were reported to police by the House of Commons’ security team last year.

    ‘Part of the blame lies with MPs themselves,’ Ms Leadbeater said.

    ‘You have essentially 650 self-employed people who have different attitudes to safety and risk.

    ‘I think some MPs fully engage and others don’t. And you have everything in between.’

    She added: ‘I think sadly in terms of the political environment, things are still very toxic.

    ‘There are huge amounts of division, there’s huge amounts of anger, and that worries me.

    ‘The responsibility that we have as parliamentarians is to try and create a culture that is less divisive and presents us as parliamentarians and indeed the whole political system in a positive way.

    ‘I find it upsetting that not all MPs do this.

    ‘We have to look at the role MPs play themselves and how we conduct ourselves’, she told the i.

    Ms Cox, a mother-of-two, was killed by far-right extremist Thomas Mair days before the Brexit referendum on June 23, 2016.

    Five years later, long serving Conservative MP and prominent Brexiteer Sir David Amess was fatally stabbed in his Southend West constituency on October 15, 2021.

    Today Ms Cox’s husband, Brendan and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer led tributes ahead of 400 events across the country planned this weekend in her memory.

    The Jo Cox Foundation, set up in the wake of her tragic death, is hosting the annual Great Get Together to spread her message that we all have #MoreInCommon.

    Mr Cox posted on Twitter: ‘Another year passes since we lost Jo – but her memory doesn’t fade. It sharpens.

    ‘Tonight we will all be together to celebrate her life and the legacy she has left.’

    Sir Keir wrote: ‘Today, I’m thinking of my friend and colleague Jo Cox.

    ‘It’s hard to believe that it’s been seven years since that terrible day.

    ‘But her legacy and her dream of a better world still live on.

    ‘We miss you, Jo’,’ he added.

  • I worked as a cleaner, taxi driver to survive in the university – Bawumia

    I worked as a cleaner, taxi driver to survive in the university – Bawumia

    Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has shared a poignant personal story from his youth. 

    Addressing a crowd of enthusiastic party faithfuls while filing his nomination, the Vice President took a nostalgic trip down memory lane, recounting his humble beginnings and emphasising the value of hard work and perseverance.

    He revealed that he had once worked as a cleaner in his younger days, as he sought to make ends meet and overcome the challenges life had presented him. 

    Chronicling the journey from his childhood days to date, he noted that: “It has not been an easy journey, it has taken a lot of hard work, discipline, and dedication to get here. I have been a by-day worker on farms during the holidays in secondary school, I have been a warehouse boy even after finishing university, and I have been a mini truck driver.

    “I have been a warehouse boy even after finishing university. I have been a minicab driver. I was only able to pay fees for one term during my studies at Oxford University and I had to survive for the rest of my studies without paying fees thanks to my college. I only settled my fees in arrears after I started work following the completion of my PhD in Canada. I have also been a cleaner of dormitories in my university days in Ghana,” he said.

    He mentioned that it was through these difficult experiences that he learned the invaluable lesson that hard work and determination can pave the way for success.

    “My life experience tells me never to take anything for granted and always to have respect for people no matter their stature in life, no matter how big or small they are. The cleaner or the driver you meet today could be the vice president or the president tomorrow,” he said.

    He also said his life experience has taught him to eschew discrimination in his dealings with people.

    The Vice President is among ten candidates who will be contesting in the upcoming NPP presidential primary ceteris paribus. So far, he has filed his nomination in anticipation for the big day. 

    He will be contesting with the likes of former Trades Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, former Agric Minister, Dr Afriyie Akoto, former General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, Assin Central MP, Ken Agyapong, etc.

  • A 31-year-old man accused of killing three people in knife and van attack in Nottingham

    A 31-year-old man accused of killing three people in knife and van attack in Nottingham

    Three individuals were killed in Nottingham, and a 31-year-old man has been accused of their murders.

    According to police, Valdo Calocane, who does not have a known residence, was also charged today with three counts of attempted murder.

    Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley Kumar, both 19 years old and students at the University of Nottingham, were fatally stabbed in Ilkestone Road shortly after 4 a.m. on Tuesday.

    A short while later, 65-year-old school maintenance worker Ian Coates was discovered dead in Magdala Road with knife wounds.

    Three people were then struck by a van and hurt, with one of those suffering critical injuries.

    Chief constable Kate Meynell, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: ‘These charges are a significant development and arise as a result of our thorough investigation into these horrific incidents that occurred in our city.

    ‘Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of all those affected by these attacks, and we will continue to provide support and reassurance.

    ‘We would also ask people to respect the families’ wishes for privacy at this difficult time to allow them to grieve.’

    ‘This has been an incredibly sad time for our city and county, and we stand united with our communities as we come to terms with the effects of what has happened

    ‘We are keenly aware of the deep emotion being felt surrounding these tragic events and the high level of interest, not only in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire but also across the whole country.

    ‘However, posting prejudicial information online about an active case could amount to contempt of court and, in the most serious cases, have the potential to cause the collapse of a trial.’

    This is a breaking news story. More to follow.

  • Student jailed for life after stabbing grandmother 29 times to death

    Student jailed for life after stabbing grandmother 29 times to death

    After bingeing on alcohol and ‘high intensity’ skunk marijuana, a student attacked a grandma with 29 stab wounds in a ‘vicious and mindless’ attack. The student was sentenced to life in prison.

    Following an extensive nationwide manhunt, Alexander Carr, 33, was found in custody in north London several weeks after his friend Michelle Hanson, 47, was ‘gruesomely’ murdered at her Sunderland home in December.

    ‘She said he was one of the good ones,’ the distraught sister of the mother of five testified to Newcastle Crown Court. She was so mistaken.

    Carr pleaded guilty to murder and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 19 years.

    The court heard he knew alcohol and drugs had a serious impact on his mental health but still got intoxicated that night before inflicting terrifying violence on Ms Hanson.

    Daffyd Enoch KC, prosecuting, said the victim was repeatedly stabbed in the neck, that Carr had used a knife on her at least 29 times and that she was extensively bruised around her body.

    Pieces of a broken dinner plate were found in her hair.

    After escaping through the bathroom window, Carr went on the run to London and was found weeks later living in a tent near Upper Holloway railway station.

    When police arrested him after a struggle in which they used a Taser, the powerfully built 33-year-old was found to have a commando knife with him.

    Carr had a troubled childhood, has a long history of violence and was diagnosed with personality disorders and the court was told it was somewhat ‘remarkable’ he secured a place at university.

    Psychiatrists agreed he was not suffering from a psychotic illness at the time of the murder.

    Ms Hanson, who lived in an upstairs flat in Brady Street, Sunderland, had been paid that day and bought a bottle of vodka and a takeaway.

    A witness, who cannot be named, saw Carr sitting with her that night and later described him seeming ‘nuts’ and ‘speaking in funny accents’.

    The witness was reassured Ms Hanson was OK and left, only to return the next day to find her lying dead in a pool of blood.

    Nicholas Lumley KC, defending, said Carr had previously been diagnosed with personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis and had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act when he was younger.

    Mr Lumley said Carr had written to the judge and admitted: ‘I knew my mental health issues were getting worse and I wish I had tried to seek out more help, rather than self-medicating with the excess of drugs and alcohol.’

    Judge Paul Sloan said Carr initially lied to psychiatrists but eventually admitted he had smoked skunk – ‘which has a high potency’ – that night.

    ‘You became increasingly anxious and paranoid and believed you were about to be harmed,’ he said.

    ‘I have no doubt that the principal reason for your paranoia was your voluntary consumption of skunk in combination with alcohol.

    ‘Your paranoia culminated in a brutal attack upon Ms Hanson.’

    Ms Hanson’s daughter Shannon Brown read out an emotional victim statement to the court, saying: ‘My mam was taken in such a vicious and mindless attack.

    ‘We believe that her last moments would have been spent in fear.

    ‘To think she welcomed this evil person into her house as a friend is unbearable.

    ‘He has taken advantage of a vulnerable, kind and loving woman.

    ‘It is horrific to know he towered over her in both height and strength and my mam was defenceless.’

  • Woman’s car rolls into the sea after stopping to buy ice cream

    Woman’s car rolls into the sea after stopping to buy ice cream

    Workers had to raise the car out of the sea upside down after five hours.

    “We received a call to say that a Ford car had entered the water just down the slipway to the chain ferry entrance at 2.30pm,” said Allan Norman from HM Coastguard.

    “The driver was secure and unharmed.” I believe she got out of the car, which then slid into the sea.

    ‘Our primary concern was to make sure everyone is safe and we need to extract to vehicle to prevent pollution and make sure the chain ferry could run safely.’

    Witness Heidi Garsden said: ‘The lady went inside to buy an ice cream and when she came back the car was gone.

    ‘The car was bobbing around in the water for a bit before it sank.

    BNPS.co.uk (01202 558833) Pic: MaxWillcock/BNPS Pictured: The coastguard at the scene. A car that has rolled into the sea at Sandbanks has sparked an emergency response. The black Ford Focus plunged down the slipway that serves the Sandbanks to Studland chain ferry after its owner forgot to apply the handbrake, witnesses have said. Luckily the female driver was out of the car at the time it went into Poole Harbour. The chain ferry - that has carries signs telling motorists to apply their handbrakes - had just left the Sandbanks side when the incident happened.
    The coastguard and other services were called to the scene (Picture: BNPS)

    ‘It must have been heartbreaking for her to watch.’

    A spokesperson for Dorset police said: ‘We received a report at 2.22pm of an incident involving a car in the water at Banks Road in Sandbanks, Poole.

    ‘Officers have attended and are liaising with the coastguard and the harbourmaster.

    ‘The incident has resulted in the suspension of the Sandbanks Ferry and congestion in the area. Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible.

    ‘It has been confirmed the car is unoccupied and there are no reports of any injuries.’

    Sandbanks ferry was temporarily stopped but services resumed after about an hour.

  • Ghanaian Chef urges parents to guide children towards cooking careers

    Ghanaian Chef urges parents to guide children towards cooking careers

    In a world that often prioritizes conventional career paths, the culinary arts have been unjustly overlooked, dismissed as mere hobbies rather than respected professions.

    But now, celebrated Chef Joseph Wilson-Tetteh is stepping forward to challenge this perception and inspire parents to nurture their children’s genuine interest in cooking.

    Chef Wilson-Tetteh firmly believes that cultivating a passion for cooking in young minds can pave the way for a fulfilling and gratifying career as chefs.

    During an interview on UTV ahead of Father’s Day, he boldly stated, “Being a Chef is rewarding, so guide your sons with the passion to do it.”

    Drawing from personal experience, he shared a heartwarming story of how he helped mentor a young boy whose guardians initially hesitated to let him pursue a culinary career.

    “There was a young man at Achimota school. He had a burning passion for cooking, but his Uncle, who was taking care of him since his father passed away, didn’t understand or support his dream. The boy’s mother approached me, asking me to speak to the Uncle, and eventually, the Uncle relented, leaving the boy in my care. Today, I can proudly say that the man is proud of his son, who even sends him money,” Chef Wilson-Tetteh revealed.

    Based on this inspiring tale, the accomplished chef passionately appealed to parents, particularly fathers, to wholeheartedly back their children in pursuing their dreams, especially if they have a genuine passion for their chosen path.

    This call to action comes at an opportune time, coinciding with the recent endeavors of two chefs in Nigeria, Chef Dammy and Hilda Baci, who have both strived to break Guinness World Records in their culinary craft, with Hilda Baci emerging triumphant.

    Chef Joseph Wilson-Tetteh’s message is clear: It’s time to change the narrative surrounding the culinary arts. Let us empower our children, support their dreams, and guide them towards a future filled with culinary excellence.

    With passion and determination, they can redefine the world of gastronomy and carve out remarkable careers as skilled chefs.

  • Police officer stabbed and flown to hospital in critical condition

    Police officer stabbed and flown to hospital in critical condition

    A police officer was stabbed at a house and is in critical condition.

    Around 8 o’clock yesterday evening, the officer was attacked while on duty at a property in Maidstone, Kent.

    After the assault at a location in Albion Place, he was transported by air ambulance to a hospital.

    At the scene, a Maidstone resident, 48, was taken into custody.

    While investigations are ongoing, he is still in custody.

    A Kent Police spokesman said: ‘The officer was airlifted to a London hospital with injuries consistent with stab wounds.

    ‘He remains there in a serious but stable condition.’

    This is a breaking news story. More to follow.

  • Russia doubles number of trained dolphins

    Russia doubles number of trained dolphins

    The quantity of trained dolphins manning Russia’s Black Sea fleet has reportedly doubled, according to sources.

    Their naval station and the Kremlin’s boats have been spotted with animal pens, according to Naval News.

    It occurs at the same time as recent Ukraine drone assaults on Sevastopol, which is located in Crimea.

    Compared to three or four at the beginning of the war, the website says that they have already trained six or seven dolphins.

    Advanced technological devices mean they can detect targets and send a signal back to an operator.

    They can also locate mines, threats and divers.

    Moscow claims the animals, which were a part of an animal unit in Crimea, ‘defected’ to Russia after the area was annexed in 2014.

    But in 2013 two-thirds of Russia’s military dolphins went absent without leave in the Black Sea so they could look for mates.

    The US and Sweden have also trained dolphins to help guard their navies.

    The Russian military is said to have been anxious ever since a major fire broke out in Sevastopol – the major port on the Black Sea home to the headquarters of the Russian fleet.

    They blamed the fire on a Ukrainian drone, prompting speculation the strikes could be laying ground in preparation for counter-offensive attacks.

    Plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the depot after the strike destroyed 10 tanks of petroleum products with total capacity of 40,000 tons, according to Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (GUR). 

    ‘[The strike] is one of the elements of preparation for a counteroffensive’, said Natalya Gumenyuk, spokeswoman for the South Operational Command of the Armed Forces.

  • 15 people killed in a truck and van collision in Canada

    15 people killed in a truck and van collision in Canada

    A horrific collision involving a lorry and a van has claimed the lives of at least 15 people.

    Images from the Trans-Canada Highway near Manitoba, Canada, near the US, show a truck between Highways 1 and 5.

    At least three bodies are reportedly visible at the scene at 2 p.m. local time, shrouded in white sheets, according to The Winnipeg Free Press.

    Eight ambulances or more were seen en route to Brandon.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed they were at the scene of a ‘very serious collision’.

    They tweeted: ‘RCMP on scene of a very serious collision on #MBHwy1 at #MBHwy5. Please yield to #rcmpmb & emergency vehicles en route. Highway closures in effect – avoid the area.’

    Caroline Bleackley, a truck driver, said she saw thick black smoke spewing from a vehicle in a ditch.

    She said: ‘I could see there were people laying on the ground and people trying to attend to the bodies on the ground. I have seen collisions before, but not like this, not this magnitude.

    ‘It was a significant impact based on what I saw. There was a lot of damage. It was pretty sad to see.’

    Bystanders reportedly tried to help before paramedics arrived.

    STARS spokesman Blake Robert told local media: ‘STAR-7 (helicopter) has been deployed from Winnipeg and STAR-9 (helicopter) has been deployed from Regina.

    ‘We have also deployed additional STARS crew to the area on two fixed wing aircraft, for a total of 14 STARS critical care crew responding in addition to area EMS and other first responders.’

    Health and Prairie Mountain Health: ‘Response teams are at the scene and transporting patients and emergency department, surgical and critical care teams at HSC and Brandon Regional Health Centre are prepared to support the care needs of incoming patients.’

  • Students compelled to descend rope to escape a burning building

    Students compelled to descend rope to escape a burning building

    A group of pupils had to down one rope in order to escape a burning structure.

    On 15 June, an electricity metre caught fire and caused a massive fire to spread to the Gyana building in Delhi, India.

    The pupils may be seen on video footage lowering themselves one at a time from a window on a higher floor while dense smoke is seen billowing out behind them.

    They managed to use air conditioner units installed on other floors to assist them.

    students climb out of burning building
    The students could be seen escaping as smoke billowed out of the windows

    All were rescued from the building and no one was injured, according to the fire report.

    Delhi fire services director Atul Garg said: ‘We received info about a fire in a building.

    ‘Later we came to know that it is a coaching centre and some children are trapped in it.

    ‘We sent a total of 11 fire tenders to the spot. The fire has been brought under control.’

  • Surgeon’s remains discovered in woodland after going missing for six months

    Surgeon’s remains discovered in woodland after going missing for six months

    In a German woodland, body parts of a surgeon who vanished six months ago have been found.

    On New Year’s Eve, 52-year-old Steffen Braun was last observed alive.

    Three days later, the orthopaedic surgeon’s superiors at the Maria Hilf hospital in Daun, Rhineland-Palatinate State, reported him missing.

    The burnt-out Ford Fiesta that belonged to Mr. Braun was discovered by police on a road approximately 28 miles from his house in Gerolstein, but the surgeon was nowhere to be located.

    A dog walker has now discovered his remains in a wooded area less than four miles from his home.

    The rest of his body was recovered after being ‘scattered’ around the undergrowth following a police search, reports local media.

    A spokesperson forTrier Police said, in a statement obtained by the agency Newsflash,: ‘Late Tuesday afternoon, 13th June, a walker in a wooded area near Rockeskyll found part of a human body and informed the police.

    ‘The immediate search of the adjacent forest led the officers to the site where the entire body was found, which was in the vicinity of the search area designated by the police.’

    Public prosecutor Eric Samel said Mr Braun’s death ‘was a deliberate and brutal homicide.’

    Detectives suspect that the murder weapon ma have been thrown away along the A1 motorway between Wittlich and Gerolstein.

    Detectives believe that Mr Braun’s killer was well known to him but have not yet idenified a suspect, local media reports.

    The police statement continued: ‘According to the investigations so far, the crime may have occurred on Friday, 30th December, or Saturday, 31st December, 2022.’

    Prosecutors have offered a £4,300 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of Braun’s killer.

  • Rocky Dawuni to perform Music Haven Festival 2023 in New York

    Rocky Dawuni to perform Music Haven Festival 2023 in New York

    Rocky Dawuni, a Grammy-nominated Ghanaian reggae artist, will perform as the opening act at the Music Haven 2023 Festival, which runs from July 8 to July 14 in Schenectady, New York. 

    Dawuni, who is known for his blend of reggae, Afrobeat, highlife, and soul music, will perform on July 9. He is a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment for Africa and has worked with a number of organizations to promote social justice and environmental sustainability.

    The Music Haven festival is a celebration of music and performing arts from around the world. In addition to Dawuni, the festival will feature performances by artists from Ghana, Andalusia, Ireland, Texas, Gambia, Louisiana, South Asia, Georgia, and Stratford-upon-Avon, England.

    “This summer, our musical journeys will cross seven distinct bodies of water,” said Producing Artistic Director Mona Golub.

    “We’ll gather to hear spectacular global artists who have not played these parts before, welcome back some old friends who have dazzled the world since they last graced our stage, and showcase, as special guests, some of the finest talents our region has to offer.”

  • Three people in custody after lady in north London was fatally stabbed

    Three people in custody after lady in north London was fatally stabbed

    After a lady was fatally stabbed in Wembley yesterday, three persons have been taken into custody.

    Yesterday at around 6 o’clock, officers discovered a 23-year-old guy in Harrow who they had previously identified publicly.

    He was detained at a police station in north London after being apprehended on suspicion of murder.

    Police were contacted yesterday at 10am regarding reports of a stabbing at a residence in Neeld Crescent, Wembley, and an investigation was started.

    Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service and two women were treated for stab injuries.

    Despite the efforts of emergency services, a 27-year-old woman sadly died at the scene. Her next of kin are yet to be informed.

    A second woman, aged 28, was taken to hospital with stab injuries that were later assessed as not life-threatening.

    Latest London news

    Two people, a 24-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. The man remains in custody. The woman has been released without further action.

    Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: ‘This has been a fast-moving investigation and I would like to thank the public for sharing our appeal for information about this man. He is now in custody.

    ‘I recognise the significant concern this incident has caused in the community and I would like to reassure the public that a dedicated team of detectives are working to establish what happened.

    ‘Local officers will remain in the area over the coming days to respond to any concerns.’

    A post-mortem examination will be scheduled in due course.

  • My wife wasn’t interested in having kids when we got married – Okyeame Kwame

    My wife wasn’t interested in having kids when we got married – Okyeame Kwame

    Ghanaian rapper, Okyeame Kwame, has talked openly about his initial disagreement with his wife about starting a family.

    According to him, when they first got married, his wife expressed her desire to focus on her career, make money, and travel the world without having any children.

    He revealed, “My wife didn’t want to have any children at all when we got married. She said she wants to work, make money, and travel the world.”

    However, Okyeame Kwame stated that as for him, he planned to have three children, and this led to a negotiation between him and his wife, and eventually, they agreed on having just one child.

    “So we negotiated and ended on one, and when I got one too, accidentally God put the second one there,” he added.

    He then added that his wife decided to opt for a family planning method after their second child, saying, “After the second child, my wife went to have a family planning method to prevent any other pregnancy.”

    Despite feeling scared during both pregnancies, Okyeame Kwame explained that being a father has been a rewarding experience.

    “Being a father has been a great experience. I was totally scared during both pregnancies of my kids,” he said.

    The discussion on fatherhood took when Okyeame Kwame joined sports journalist, Nathaniel Attoh, and actor, Adjetey Anang, who also shared their own experiences and journeys as fathers, a report by myjoyonline.com has said.

    As Father’s Day approaches on Sunday, June 18, 2023, it serves as a timely reminder to celebrate and honour fathers, father figures, and the important roles they play in society.

  • Indian chef Lata Tondon reacts after Hilda Baci overthrew her

    Indian chef Lata Tondon reacts after Hilda Baci overthrew her

    Indian chef Lata Tondon has reacted after Nigerian chef Hilda Effiong Bassey, aka Hilda Baci, displaced her as the new record holder for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.

    Guinness World Records certified Hilda as the new record holder for the longest cooking marathon by an individual on Tuesday but put her official record at 93 hours and 11 minutes and not the 100 hours she originally reached, explaining that “she mistakenly took extra minutes for one of her breaks early on in the attempt.”

    Reacting via her Instastory on Thursday, Tondon, who was the former record holder, said she was happy for Hilda Baci and Nigerians.

    She wrote, “Namaste Nigeria. I’m very happy for you all, and my best wishes to Hilda!”

    Tondon set her record in 2019 after cooking for 87 hours and 45 minutes nonstop.

  • Kiki Banson was the one that gave me the crown to bestow on Kuami Eugene – Amakye Dede

    Kiki Banson was the one that gave me the crown to bestow on Kuami Eugene – Amakye Dede

    Ghanaian highlife musician Amakye Dede has accused Kiki Banson of forcing him to declare Kuami Eugene the “King of Future Highlife” live on stage during the 2019 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs). 

    This follows the highlife veteran’s claims during an interview on Asaase radio, that he was forced against his will to indulge in the act which trended on social media four years ago.

    In the said interview, Amakye Dede revealed that initially, he even attempted to pass the crown given to him onto someone else.

    But in a recent interview with Abeiku Santana, Amakye Dede, without hesitation, cited popular music executive, Kiki Banson, as the one who masterminded the act.

    “I am telling you straightforwardly that Kiki was the one who gave me the crown. He was the one who forced me to crown Eugene. When he initially gave it to me, I gave it to one of my boys, Robberman, to put it down. Because it wasn’t my intention, they forced me to do it. If you like, you can call Kiki and confirm whether he wasn’t the one who gave me the crown. Call him right now,” he established.

    The host, Abeiku Santana, who was a bit confused, then queried: Is it Kiki Banson you’re talking about?

    Amakye Dede replied: Why should he do this to me?

    Meanwhile, Charterhouse, the organizers of the VGMAs, has distanced itself from the development which took place on their stage years ago.

    In response to Amakye Dede‘s revelation, Robert Klah, the Head of Public Events and Communication at Charterhouse, stated that they had no part in orchestrating the crowning session.

    “We did not orchestrate any crowning session. So, I am a bit lost when it comes to the assertion that event organizers are responsible,” he stressed.

  • I suspect Yul Edochie is cheating on me – Second wife

    I suspect Yul Edochie is cheating on me – Second wife

    Judy, the second wife of actor Yul Edochie, has openly voiced her suspicions regarding her husband’s involvement in an extramarital affair

    She explained what sparked her suspicion in a video uploaded on Yul’s Facebook page.

    She can be heard in the video complaining her hubby had not returned home by 2 am and failed to pick up calls despite repeated attempts to reach him.

    Yul Edochie arrived while she was lamenting and she challenged him for arriving home so late.

    But the actor failed to provide her with a compelling justification for arriving home late.

    She then asked him if he was having an extramarital affair to which he offered no definitive response.

    Judy, who evidently has access to her husband’s Facebook account, posted the video with the caption: “I suspect Yul has a girlfriend and he’s hiding it. See what happened last night. Is it fair?”

    It’s unclear, though, whether there’s ‘turmoil in utopia’ or if it was simply one of their eccentric social media posts which they’ve been actively engaged in lately.

  • Financial sector fraud drops to GH¢56 million in 2022 – BoG report

    Financial sector fraud drops to GH¢56 million in 2022 – BoG report

    In 2022, Ghana’s Banking sector and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions (SDI) experienced a loss of approximately GH¢56 million, indicating a reduction of 7.88 percent when compared to the GH¢61 million recorded in 2021.

    However, the number of attempted fraud cases for the banking and SDI sectors in 2022 increased to 2,998, as compared to 2,347 cases in 2021, which is a 27.74 percent increase.

    This was the disclosure made in the 2022 trends and statistics of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) BANKs, SDIs, and Payment Service Providers (PSPs) fraud report, covering January 1 to December 31, 2022.

    It was observed that forgery and manipulation of documents, fraudulent withdrawals, cheque fraud, cyber/email and cash theft (cash suppression), were the major drivers (top five) fraud typologies that impacted most of the financial institutions.

    Forgery and manipulation of documents emerged as the prominent fraud typology, recording the highest loss of GH¢33 million.

    Money fraudulently withdrawn from customers’ accounts resulted in GH¢7 million losses, most of which the Central Bank observed involved staff of banks and SDIs, while cheque fraud, arising from cloned cheques accounted for a loss value of GH¢5 million.

    The report indicated that the fraud cases involving staff decreased to 188 in 2022, as compared to 278 in 2021.

    “Most of the incidents recorded involving staff had to do with cash theft (cash suppression) from customers’ accounts and happened to be a very common fraud typology in the Rural and Community banking sector,” the report said.

    “While staff involvement in fraud persists, the numbers have started trending downwards as a result of strict sanctions imposed by the Bank of Ghana and strong advocacy for improved controls by the sector institutions,” the report stated.

    To address the rise in fraudulent cases and losses recorded among Banks and SDI, BoG directed that Banks should immediately communicate fraud cases in their institutions to the Bank of Ghana and the Ghana Association of Banks to alert all others on the approaches deployed to avoid recurrence.

    Banks and SDIs were also directed to increase the level of fraud sensitisation to their customers and constantly review the adequacy and operating effectiveness of their risk management (credit risk) and internal control frameworks to detect fraud and other financial crimes within their institutions.

    Also, the Central Bank asked Banks and SDIs to report financial crime including all cash theft (cash suppression) cases to the Ghana Police Service and update the Bank of Ghana until the case is closed.

    The fraud report, published by the Bank of Ghana seeks to inform the general banking public of fraud trends.

    The report reflects trends in fraud typologies observed in relation to services provided by Banks, Specialized Deposit-Taking Institutions (SDIs) and Payment Service Providers (PSPs), and measures the Bank of Ghana is taking to address them and promote the integrity of the banking system.

  • Black Sherif unveils music video for ‘Oil in My Head’ track

    Black Sherif unveils music video for ‘Oil in My Head’ track

    The much-anticipated debut album “The Villain I Never Was” by Black Sherif, the current Artist of the Year, now has a music video for the song “Oil in My Head.” 

    Following his successful tour in the United States, where his album dominated the charts, and his recent recognition as the Artist of the Year at the 25th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Ceremony, Black Sherif has now treated fans to the eagerly-awaited visuals from his award-winning album.

    Directed by Babs Direction, the music video delves into Black Sherif’s pursuit of divine elevation and a resolute mindset for success.

    The craftsmanship behind the visuals provides a cinematic journey, depicting his rise to prominence, while showcasing his remarkable style and grandeur.

  • Owusu Bempah allegedly threatens IGP in a leaked audio

    Owusu Bempah allegedly threatens IGP in a leaked audio

    The founder and head of Glorious Word Power Ministry International, Prophet Isaac Owusu Bempah, is purportedly heard making threats against the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akufo Dampare, in an alleged audio recording that has surfaced. 

    The leaked audio, contains menacing remarks directed towards the IGP, citing recent arrests and alleged maltreatment as the motivation behind the threats.

    In the audio, Prophet Owusu Bempah claims to have played a significant role in the election of President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo and highlighted the sacrifices made to secure his victory.

    Shockingly, he alleges that some individuals lost their lives, others suffered serious accidents and endured amputations as part of these sacrifices. The controversial man of God warns IGP Dampare that he will deeply regret assuming the position and hints at his intention to retaliate for the alleged mistreatment during his arrest and an alleged plot to assassinate him.

    The leaked audio further reveals Prophet Owusu Bempah instructing an unidentified person to deliver his message to Dampare.

    The instructions include asking specific questions regarding past interactions with President Akufo-Addo, inquiring about the relationship between Owusu Bempah and the president’s wife, and urging Dampare to seek information from media personality Captain Smart about Owusu Bempah’s activities/sacrifices prior to Akufo-Addo’s presidency.

    Prophet Owusu Bempah repeatedly emphasizes his belief that without his involvement, Akufo-Addo would not have ascended to the presidency.

    He alleges that his actions compelled the president to conceal certain activities while abroad and return to Ghana. The prophet also maintained that as a result of Dampare’s treatment meted out to him, both he and Dampare are now on a collision course.

    Read a transcription of the audio below:

    “Maame, tell Dampare that Akufo-Addo is aware of my contributions to his success, and now that I have started making noise, he is feeling the pressure. Tell Dampare that I am saying that he will regret becoming IGP, and tell him I said what I will do to him in Ghana he will regret. Let him know that if it wasn’t for me Akufo-Addo couldn’t have become president. Tell him because Akufo-Addo became president, someone’s leg has been amputated… Someone’s car somersaulted on Tema Motorway, ask him if the time I met with Akufo-Addo he was there. Ask him if he knows the relationship I have with Akufo-Addo.

    “Ask him about the time when Akufo-Addo’s wife and Aunty Ama Busia came to me. Where was Dampare standing then? Tell Dampare to contact Captain Smart and find out what Owusu Bempah did before Nana Addo became president. Does he think Nana Addo’s presidency was a simple matter? Does he know the sacrifices we made? It was due to that that Maame Gladys Asmah died, and because of that, Maama Ama Busia’s leg had to be amputated. If he wants to hear the things, I can reveal in this country…

    “Akufo-Addo did not become president easily. Because of Akufo-Addo’s presidency, Maame Gladys Asmah died … if someone hadn’t died, Akufo-Addo wouldn’t have become president. Does he know the secret actions we took? Akufo-Addo has summoned NPP leaders to ask them to plead with me. He was abroad, and it was because of me that he had to shelve his activities and return to Ghana. He didn’t realize what Dampare did to me, the way they came after me, him, and Kofi Boakye.

    “Tell Dampare that he has met his match, and he will see what I will do to him. If it wasn’t for me, Akufo-Addo wouldn’t have become president, never. Because of Akufo-Addo, a young guy named Albert who gathered NPP supporters to approach me had his car somersaulted on the Tema Motorway. It was so severe that they had to cut the car before retrieving his body…

    “ Do you know how much I have suffered because of Akufo-Addo? Tell him that Owusu Bempah has contacted you and that I will do something to him in this country (Ghana) that will make him flee. Let him know that the two of us cannot be contained in Ghana. And tell him that I will show him that I made Akufo-Addo a sitting president before he was appointed as the IGP. Also, inform him that he cannot kill me or harm me in any way. Let him joke around, and he will see what I am capable of.

    “Tell him that I will never forgive him on this earth… the way he and Victor Kusi Boateng were coming to kill me in Kumasi. I have all the information. So, I am giving you this message. Inform him that I have already told Ernest Owusu Bempah and Chairman Wontumi. Chairman Wontumi doesn’t even pick up my calls. If you don’t pass on this message to Dampare, I will be disappointed in you. Tell Dampare that he will regret his position as IGP,” part of the audio said in Twi.

  • Failed Juaben MCE nominee’s viral video admitted as court evidence

    Failed Juaben MCE nominee’s viral video admitted as court evidence


    In the High Court of Kumasi, a viral video capturing the failed Juaben Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) nominee, Alexander Kwabena Sarfo-Kantanka, visibly and audibly requesting monetary contributions from Assembly Members, was admitted as crucial evidence.

    Despite the objections of the accused’s counsel, the video was admitted into evidence.

    The accused lost the endorsement twice and the alleged bribe money.

    The tape was tendered in evidence by the OSP’s final and sixth witness.

    The case has been adjourned for cross-examination of the Republic’s final witness on June 22, 2023.

    Background

    In 2022, the Special Prosecutor dragged Alexander Sarfo-Kantanka before the High Court in Kumasi.

    He was charged with 26 counts of election-related corruption.

    Sarfo -Kantanka, who failed to secure the needed votes to become the MCE for the Juaben Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region after two rounds of voting in September and November 2021, was caught on camera demanding the return of monies he had paid to some members of the assembly to influence his confirmation.

    The suspect allegedly gave the elected members of the assembly GH₵5000 each and gave GH₵2,500 to each of the government appointees.

    In its statement at the time, the OSP said, “The Accused admitted gifting the indicated sums of money to the respective categories of the members of the Assembly to influence the outcome of the elections in his favour”.

    Members of the Juaben Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region had, for the second time, rejected Sarfo-Kantanka as MCE after he failed to reach the two-thirds threshold needed.

    He received ten ‘Yes’ votes as against 15 ‘No’ votes with one ballot rejected.

    Twenty out of the 26 assembly members boycotted the previous process that Friday, citing the heavy security presence at the venue.

    After the process, he was captured in a viral video demanding his money back.

    The OSP, in parts of the court documents, declared that the failed nominee “went berserk and vented his wrath on the members of the Assembly and angrily demanded a refund of the money he had gifted to them,” the Special Prosecutor said in the court documents.

    He demanded that everyone who accepted the cash “return his money urgently”.

    The police arrested him and subsequently granted him a self-recognizance bail on November 1, 2021.

  • Mahama does not have any chance of returning to the presidency – Annoh-Dompreh

    Mahama does not have any chance of returning to the presidency – Annoh-Dompreh

    Former President John Dramani Mahama and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyir, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, have both expressed their concerns about the upcoming internal elections of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    Mr. Annoh-Dompreh, who serves as the Majority Chief Whip, has emphasized the importance of conducting the campaigns in a civil manner and has urged all flagbearer aspirants to refrain from engaging in character assassination.

    Annoh-Dompreh emphasized that the focus should be on the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and ensuring that Former President John Dramani Mahama does not have any chance of returning to the presidency.

    During an interview on TV3, Annoh-Dompreh, who is campaigning for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to become the NPP’s flagbearer, expressed the importance of maintaining discipline within the party’s caucus.

    He stated, “There is a lot of discipline in our caucus. You cannot openly campaign on our platform, and if you do, I will remove you from the MPs’ WhatsApp platform.”

    Annoh-Dompreh further explained that the Members of Parliament (MPs) understand the need to secure victory in their constituencies and highlighted the bigger goal of preventing John Mahama from assuming the presidency again.

    He stressed, “Our problem now is the NDC, not ourselves. We must not let John Mahama come close to the presidency because of his legacies. That is where our focus lies, not on ourselves.”

    The Nsawam Adoagyiri lawmaker emphasized that it is the opportune time for Dr. Bawumia to lead the NPP.

    He noted the significance of timing in politics and leadership, drawing a parallel with the recent US presidential election. Annoh-Dompreh stated, “This is not Alan’s time; this is Dr. Bawumia’s time. Politics is about seasons and timing. If you’re not careful, you can get it wrong. Look at the US and Biden’s journey. Today, he is the president.”

    While acknowledging his respect for all aspirants vying for leadership within the NPP, Annoh-Dompreh expressed confidence in Dr. Bawumia’s potential success.

    He asserted, “If the primaries are conducted, Dr. Bawumia will win. Alan cannot defeat Bawumia. I am not new to this game; I have been involved in grassroots mobilization. I can sense and feel a victory coming. Even in the special delegates’ conference, Dr. Bawumia will not secure less than 70 percent of the votes. We have done our work, and grassroots support will be even stronger.”

  • Student, 27, fatally stabbed ‘weeks before wedding’

    Student, 27, fatally stabbed ‘weeks before wedding’

    A young woman was supposed to get married this year, according to her family, when she was fatally stabbed in a north London flat.

    At a home in Wembley, Tejaswini Kontham’s body was discovered yesterday morning.

    According to her father, the 27-year-old had been pursuing a Master’s degree in the UK and was planning a summer visit to her family’s home in Hyderabad, India.

    Despite their best attempts, Ms. Kontham tragically passed away at the scene after emergency personnel arrived at Neeld Crescent just before 10am.

    Another woman, aged 28, believed to be her friend, also suffered knife injuries in the attack but are not believed to be life-threatening.

    Ms Kontham’s father told a local TV channel in India that she had travelled to London three years ago and was coming back to Hyderabad for her wedding after the course ended this year.

    He said ‘She said she will return after her studies were finished. She had resigned from her temporary job.’

    Latest London news

    A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder in Harrow at around 6pm yesterday after a police hunt and remains in custody.

    Two people, a 24-year-old man and a 23-year old woman, were also initially arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.

    The man has released on bail pending further enquiries to return to the police station in mid-July, while the woman was released with no further action. 

    Detective chief inspector Linda Bradley, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: ‘This has been a fast-moving investigation and I would like to thank the public for sharing our appeal for information.

    ‘I know that the shock of this incident will reverberate throughout the community and I would like to reassure the public that a dedicated team of detectives are working hard to establish exactly what happened.

    ‘Local officers will remain in the area over the coming days – please speak to them if you have any concerns.’

    The Met Police also confirmed that a post-mortem examination was due to be carried out today at Northwick Park mortuary and the force is awaiting the findings.

  • A “remarkable” 100-year-old woman discloses her longevity secret

    A “remarkable” 100-year-old woman discloses her longevity secret

    A grandma of 100 years old has shared her key to longevity: gin consumption.

    Beatrice Peters enjoyed a sip of her favourite beverage and a telegram from King Charles III as she celebrated her milestone birthday on Tuesday.

    The former seamstress has endured five monarchies, 21 prime ministers, a world war, and a pandemic.

    She claimed that a regular refreshing gin and tonic is the key to living a long life while sporting a birthday badge and a tiara.

    I believe it to be gin, she replied. “I like gin, but only with something else,” she added.

    The mum-of-two said she loved holidays to Ireland and going to Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria with her late husband Vincent, who died in 1991.

    And while she said she ‘doesn’t feel any different’ at turning 100, she said a birthday party thrown by care home staff in Preston was a ‘lovely surprise’.

    Beatrice, originally from nearby Blackpool, said: ‘I don’t feel any different.

    ‘My bones aren’t creaking yet. It’s a lovely surprise having all this done for me.

    ‘They’ve made such a lovely, grand party for me.’

    Alison Walker, manager of The Old Vicarage care home where Beatrice lives, described the pensioner as a ‘remarkable lady’ who has a ‘lovely smile.’

    She said: ‘She is a remarkable lady who has lived through many decades and still manages to tell a tale or two.

    ‘She has a good sense of humour, likes to listen to music and has a lovely smile.

    ‘She is fond of Ireland and likes to talk about it.’

    Care assistant Doreen Miller, 47, came into the care home on her day off to celebrate Beatrice’s birthday as the pair have ‘become friends.’

    She said: ‘She is so funny and we have become friends so.

    ‘I am so proud to be involved in this momentous occasion.

    ‘She is part of my family now.’

  • Russia strikes Zelensky’s hometown with a catastrophic missile attack

    Russia strikes Zelensky’s hometown with a catastrophic missile attack

    After a Russian missile strike, at least three people have died and 25 have been injured in President Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih.

    The attack was verified this morning by a Ukrainian official.

    The strike hit a five-story residential structure early on Tuesday, according to Serhiy Lysak, chief of the regional administration, and the area was completely consumed by fire.

    He stated that rescue efforts were still going on in a Telegram thread.

    The destruction of the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky is the most recent act of violence in Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.

    It comes as Ukrainian forces are mounting counter-offensive operations using Western-supplied firepower to try to drive out the Russians.

    Rescuers work at a site of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine June 13, 2023. REUTERS/Alina Smutko
    Rescuers work at a site of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region(Picture: REUTERS)
    Rescuers work at a site of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine June 13, 2023. Governor of Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military-Civil Administration Serhii Lysak via Telegram/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.
    At least three people have been killed in the strike this morning (Picture: via REUTERS)
    A view of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine June 13, 2023. REUTERS/Alina Smutko
    Residential buildings were hit by the missile earlier today(Picture: REUTERS)

    Yesterday Ukraine said it had liberated three villages – claiming they are the army’s first victories since its counter-offensive began.

    Footage on social media showed Ukrainian troops celebrating in Blahodatne and Neskuchne – which is believed to mean that they have taken back control of the small villages.

    Kyiv’s deputy defence minister, Hannah Maliar said nearby Makarivka was also taken.

    Images from the scene relayed by Mr Zelensky on his Telegram channel showed firefighters battling the blaze as pockets of fire poked through multiple broken windows of a building.

    Charred and damaged vehicles littered the ground.

    ‘More terrorist missiles,’ he wrote on the social app. ‘Russian killers continue their war against residential buildings, ordinary cities and people.’

    The aerial assault was the latest barrage of strikes by Russian forces that targeted various parts of Ukraine overnight.

    The Kyiv military administration reported that the capital come under fire as well on Tuesday but the incoming missiles were destroyed by air defences.

    This is a breaking news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.

  • Russians assault British man who tried to rescue animals from floodwaters

    Russians assault British man who tried to rescue animals from floodwaters

    His colleagues have confirmed that a British guy was hurt while attempting to rescue animals in southern Ukraine.

    John Carl, an Odessa Cat Crew volunteer, drove to Kherson to help organisations rescue thousands of animals from the devastation floods caused by the explosion of the Nova Kakhovka dam.

    Teams from UAnimals have spent more than a week exploring remote places on motorboats in order to rescue pets and wild animals from rooftops and drowned homes.

    John was on one of these boats when Russian forces shelled it on Wednesday night, UAnimals said in a post on Instagram.

    ‘On the evening of June 14, Russians shelled the UAnimals boat,’ it read.

    ‘At that moment, there was a volunteer from the charitable foundation Kyiv Tails and foreign volunteers from the organization Odessa Cat Crew on board.

    ‘The girl, Oksana, sustained a minor leg injury, while British volunteer, John Carl, was injured and taken to the hospital.

    ‘Russians are deliberately destroying all living beings in Ukraine.’

    UAnimals, which has been working to shelter and rehabilitate animals during the war, added his condition is now stable and that he is conscious.

    Separately, Odessa Cat Crew said John had been operated on in Kherson and that he is currently recovering from his injuries.

    For more than a week, volunteers just like John and Oksana have been escaping Russian missiles and bullets to help stranded residents and animals in the region.

    The region’s Ukrainian-appointed governor, Oleksander Prokudin said on Sunday the enemy was ‘deliberately trying to disrupt rescue efforts’.

    ‘Today, terrorists opened fire on three boats that were used to rescue 21 people from the flooded bank,’ he said on Ukrainian television.

    ‘Almost all of them were elderly and people with limited mobility. Russian soldiers fired at these people in the back.’

    He said three people were killed and 10 injured, including two law enforcement officers, during the evacuation.

    After the dam in Nova Kakhovka was blown up, entire neighborhoods of Kherson were left underwater, only further underscoring the horrors of the invasion.

    The city was liberated by Ukrainian troops in early November, but since then has been regularly shelled by Russian forces from the east side of the Dnipro River.

    Metro.co.uk caught up with Oleksandr Todorchuk, an ex-journalist who foundedUAnimals, hours after the dam explosion.

    By the time his teams had arrived in Nova Kakhovka, the water levels had raced up by metres.

    Videos shared online show them wading through waist-deep water to rescue pets and livestock left behind.

    At the time, Oleksandr said: ‘We are doing our best to save the animals, but more will die than we can save.

    ‘When people are evacuating, they have no time or ability to take the animals, or even unlock rooms where they are sleeping, so this creates a huge problem.’

    Metro.co.uk has contacted the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office for a comment.

  • Beachgoers escape in fear as shark swims towards them

    Beachgoers escape in fear as shark swims towards them

    This frightening scene takes place as a shark approaches the shoreline off a Costa Blanca beach and swimmers attempt to swim to safety through waist-deep water.

    To alert locals and tourists about the large fish and urge them to leave the water as soon as possible, lifeguards blew on their whistles.

    One woman is reported to have had a panic attack when she realised the shark was right next to her. She is believed to have been an old person who was being carried out of the water by Good Samaritans.

    The incident happened at Aguamarina Beach in Orihuela Costa south of Alicante around 10am this morning.

    Initial reports pointed to it being a tintorera or blue shark about seven-foot long.

    Local police were among emergency responders who searched for it without success and it is understood to have swum back out to sea without being seen.

    The shark sighting coincided with the start of the lifeguard service at the beach.

    A blue shark was blamed for an attack on a holidaymaker in Elche near Alicante in July 2016.

    **ALL ROUND VIDEOS X ?PICTURES FROM SOLARPIX.COM** **UK ONLINE USAGE FEE PER PIC 1st ?40.00,2nd ?20,00 INCLUDING VIDEO GRABS. - NO PRICE CAP** **FULL COPY BY NATALIA PENZA natypenza@gmail.com** -TEL: +34 659 567 821** JOB REF:22499 A/NPZ/SM DATE:15.06.2023 Caption: THIS is the dramatic moment bathers try to run to safety through waist-high water as a shark nears the shoreline off a Costa Blanca beach. Lifeguards blew on their whistles to warn locals and holidaymakers about the big fish and urge them to get out of the sea as quickly as possible. One woman, thought to have been the elderly person seen being helped out of the water by Good Samaritans, is said to have suffered a panic attack after realising the shark was beside her. The incident happened at Aguamarina Beach in Orihuela Costa south of Alicante around 10am this morning This pic:Holiday makers run for their lives from shark on Aguamarina Beach *SOLARPIX COPYRIGHT WAVER NOTICE** The above fees are for the suppling these internet/web sourced images & videos only and Solarpix accept no responsibility for any breach of copyright, the use of images supplied and the publication of images is solely at your discretion.**All queries email to alert@solarpix.com or call : +34 951 668484**
    Locals ran out of the water once the shark was spotted (Picture: Solarpix)
    **ALL ROUND VIDEOS X ?PICTURES FROM SOLARPIX.COM** **UK ONLINE USAGE FEE PER PIC 1st ?40.00,2nd ?20,00 INCLUDING VIDEO GRABS. - NO PRICE CAP** **FULL COPY BY NATALIA PENZA natypenza@gmail.com** -TEL: +34 659 567 821** JOB REF:22499 A/NPZ/SM DATE:15.06.2023 Caption: THIS is the dramatic moment bathers try to run to safety through waist-high water as a shark nears the shoreline off a Costa Blanca beach. Lifeguards blew on their whistles to warn locals and holidaymakers about the big fish and urge them to get out of the sea as quickly as possible. One woman, thought to have been the elderly person seen being helped out of the water by Good Samaritans, is said to have suffered a panic attack after realising the shark was beside her. The incident happened at Aguamarina Beach in Orihuela Costa south of Alicante around 10am this morning This pic:Holiday makers run for their lives from shark on Aguamarina Beach *SOLARPIX COPYRIGHT WAVER NOTICE** The above fees are for the suppling these internet/web sourced images & videos only and Solarpix accept no responsibility for any breach of copyright, the use of images supplied and the publication of images is solely at your discretion.**All queries email to alert@solarpix.com or call : +34 951 668484**
    Lifeguards were frantically blowing their whistles to urge people out of the water (Picture: Solarpix)

    The 40-year-old victim was rushed to hospital and given stitches to a wound in his hand.

    First aiders described the bite as ‘large’ and said he had come out of the sea with blood streaming from the injury.

    In August 2018 tourists fled the sea in panic after a blue shark, among the most common in Spain, appeared off the packed Majorcan beach of Calas de Majorca on the island’s east coast.

    In April a near seven-foot shark also believed to be a tintorera was filmed in the surf on the southeast coast of Majorca at a nearby beach called Cala Llombards.

    The footage of it in shallow water showed it was obviously disorientated.

    A Spanish woman watched it as its tell-tale fin appeared above the water’s surface and it headed towards the shoreline in the clear water before nearly beaching on the sand.

    She could be overheard saying as it was knocked on its side in the swallow water and thrashed its tail around in a bid to get back out to sea: ‘This one is going to end up getting stuck here.

    ‘We have to get it out of the water, it’s going to stay where it is.’

    Its efforts eventually paid off and it was filmed swimming back out to deeper water before disappearing.

    Last week Russian tourist Vladimir Popov, 23, was filmed being attacked by a tiger shark and dragged underwater off the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

    His body parts were later recovered from inside the predator’s belly after it was clubbed to death by beachgoers.

  • Woman murdered after man shoves two tourists over a ravine

    Woman murdered after man shoves two tourists over a ravine

    Near Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle, a woman was tossed down a ravine and perished.

    According to local authorities, the 21-year-old and her buddy, 22, had crossed paths with another American traveller on a hiking trail on Wednesday afternoon.

    Then, according to reports, he enticed the two to a scenic spot close to the Marienbruecke bridge.

    The younger woman was then “physically attacked” by the man, according to authorities.

    When her 22-year-old companion tried to intervene, he choked her and pushed her down a steep slope, they added.

    The man then appears to have allegedly attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before pushing her down the slope as well.

    She fell nearly 50 metres (165 feet), ending up close to her friend.

    The mountain rescue service rescued both women as shocked tourists watched on.

    The 22-year-old was ‘responsive’ and taken to hospital, police said.

    The 21-year-old was flown by helicopter to hospital with serious injuries and died there overnight.

    The suspect left the scene but was arrested nearby shortly afterwards.

    Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told Bild: ‘The crime happened on Wednesday around 2.40 pm. The two tourists met the man on a hiking tour east of the Marienbrücke and joined him.’

    The trio then reached ‘a beaten path to a viewpoint’.

    After the younger woman was attacked, ‘the 22-year-old wanted to help, so he choked her and pushed her down the slope,’ Mr Hörmann added.

    Under German law, suspects must be brought before a judge at a closed-doors hearing by the end of the calendar day after their arrest if investigators intend to keep them in custody.

    Police said a judge in nearby Kempten on Thursday ordered him held pending a potential indictment and he was taken to jail. He is under investigation on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and a sexual offence.

    Police said they and prosecutors were focusing on trying to reconstruct exactly what happened and called for any witnesses to come forward.

    Neuschwanstein, in southern Bavaria and close to the Austrian border, is one of Germany’s most popular tourist attractions.

  • British couple to be expelled from Australia over old age

    British couple to be expelled from Australia over old age

    Eight years in Australia for a British couple who will be expelled for being too old.

    After failing to obtain permanent residency as a result of visa modifications, Glenn Tunnicliff, 57, and his wife Sheena, 50, are required to depart within seven weeks.

    With their two children Tamzin and Molly, who are now 21 and 18, as well as their Jack Russell Roxy, they relocated from East Sussex to Perth.

    Despite each family member securing jobs, Glenn and Sheena been told to leave by August 4 because the age limit to gaining permanent residency (PR) – the pathway to citizenship – is 45 years. 

    ‘We don’t want to go back to the UK, we’ve made a life here,’ Sheena told 9News. 

    ‘Now we are over that magic figure of 45 there is no route to PR for us. Australia classes us as too old [but] we are the ones with the experience and training.’

    The family are on Glenn’s work visa because his plastering skills are in high demand across Australia.

    The company that sponsors him is about to close which means the family can’t get a permanent visa.

    Sheena said the couple have spent $80,000 (£63,200) on visas over the years while not always getting the best advice from agents.  

    The only member of the family who can stay is Tamzin because she is a nurse, but Molly is learning Australian sign language and won’t qualify for a student visa because her course is not eligible.

    The family fear Roxy the dog will be left behind to fend for herself due to her age.

    Lawyer Joanne Kinslor explained the reasoning behind PR in Australia and said: ‘The age limit in place for the vast majority of skilled migrants arises from a policy concern that the working lives and economic contributions of older skilled migrants are likely to be smaller than that of younger migrants.’

    But this was criticised by migration agent Mateja Rautner who said: ‘The Australian government is actively promoting Australia as the destination for skilled migrants and we are amid global competition for talent and yet we are limiting the options for skilled words over 45.’

    Home affairs minister Clare O’Neil said Australia’s migration system is ‘broken’ and in need of a fundamental overhaul and a ‘radical simplification’.

  • Ghana’s Brock Royal family founder becomes first African to own world’s most expensive car

    Ghana’s Brock Royal family founder becomes first African to own world’s most expensive car

    One of Ghana’s affluent families, the Brock Royal Family, has scored another feat by becoming the first family in Ghana and Africa to own the most expensive car in the world – A Maybach Exelero.

    The $8m worth Mercedes top-range sports car generated discussions in the media space following the exceptional attention the American and Canadian Embassies accorded its arrival in Ghana.

    To the Brock Royal family founder, who prefers to be unnamed to keep a low profile and is also the CEO of a chain of multi-national companies, the value of the Maybach Exelero is way above musician Davido’s newly-acquired Maybach S680 \Virgil Abloh Edition.

    Responding to why people are making a lot of ‘noise’ about the Nigerian musician’s car the young CEO declined flaunting his wealth, saying, “I don’t compete with boys.”

    Records suggest that only ten of the $8m worth Maybach Exelero was manufactured worldwide, with Jay Z, as one of the few owners.

    The one owned by the Brock Royal Family founder is the only one in Africa and was acquired from Microsoft giant Bill Gates’ business associate.

    Recently, Forbes published the Brock Royal Family as one of the top five richest families in Ghana.

    The $8m worth sports ride stirred two foreign embassies to react, and as a result tracked its destination.

    The operation search mounted by the two embassies in Accra tracked the car at Trasacco in one of the fleets of houses belonging to the owner of the customized sports car in question-founder and father of the Brock Royal family.

    It was revealed that about 30 luxurious cars were parked at the plush Trasacco mansion during the search.

    Consequently, the car was impounded by security officials from the Embassies on Tuesday but later released on Sunday after realizing how wealthy the Brock royal family is.

    It has also emerged that the Brock Royal family owns several properties in Ghana and abroad worth millions of dollars.

    Ghana has benefited from the charity works of the Brock Royal family for close to two decades and counting.

  • Yaw Tog releases new drill song and features South African rapper ROIII

    Yaw Tog releases new drill song and features South African rapper ROIII

    After showcasing his innovative skills on the Afro-Drill track “Asoɔden” in 2022, Yaw Tog, the Ghanaian rapper, ventures into the realm of drill music once again, reconnecting with the essence of his drill origins on his latest single “Obra.” This exciting release also features the rising star from South Africa, ROIII.

    The song marks his first record of the year and the duo’s first-ever record together.

    Produced by Tasso, with heavy use of the 808 drums, characterized by ominous beats, the fresh single chronicles the rapper’s struggles with balancing several aspects of his everyday life.

    He details the hustle and bustle of life with a verse that appeases the original cult following who propelled him to superstar status.

    19-year-old Pretoria rapper, Roiii supported his Afro-Drill counterpart, with a verse that is filled with fluid flows and street-wise knowledge.

    Yaw Tog has cemented himself as one of Ghana’s leading rappers and most formidable talents. Tog’s success has seen the grassroots subgenre rise from the underground to become one of the most applauded scenes in contemporary music.

  • Court orders ‘Godpapa the Greatest’ and wife ‘Empress Lupita’ to go for psychiatric assessment

    Court orders ‘Godpapa the Greatest’ and wife ‘Empress Lupita’ to go for psychiatric assessment

    A Tema Magistrate Court has ordered that Godpapa the Greatest, and his wife, Empress Lupita God Muzaria, the trending couple TikTok ‘stars’ in Ghana, to go for a psychiatric assessment.

    The couple, whose real names are Daniel Chayah and Jocelyn Charyah, are facing a charge of the murder of their two children, a report by graphic.com.gh has said.

    The report added that the presiding judge, Benedicta Antwi, gave the order for psychiatric medical assessment during the appearance of the couple on Thursday, June 15, 2023.

    Additionally, the couple have been referred to Legal Aid for the services of a lawyer “since the court was not clothed with authority to grant bail in the instant case.”
    The court will reconvene on Monday, June 26, 2023.

    Godpapa The Greatest and Empress Lupita were picked up by the police and subsequently arraigned before the TDC Magistrate Court on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.

  • My daughter was bullied because of me – Davido

    My daughter was bullied because of me – Davido

    Nigerian Afrobeats musician Davido has disclosed some drawbacks associated with being a megastar and well-known.

    The ‘Unavailable’ hitmaker acknowledged that there are a lot of advantages that come with being famous, one is, he is able to get anything he wants, however, his fame takes a huge toll on his private life. He explained how her daughter is a target for bullies at school because of his fame.

    “I would lie to you if I say I don’t like fame but it has its good and bad parts, I get anything I want but it gets stressful because it affects the private aspect of my life and my family. My daughter was even getting bullied in school because she was my daughter. So fame has good sides but also bad sides,” Davido made it known while speaking on ABtalks podcast.

    The singer added that his sister had to change the school of her children because they were treated differently for being the niece of Davido.

    He said, “My sister had to move her kids out of school because they knew the kids were my nieces/nephews, and it was weird because of how people treated them, so now they are in different schools, and when they know they are related to me it is always crazy.”

    On the same platform, the singer mentioned that he has another son who is younger than his late son, Ifeanyi Davido. According to Davido, the name of his son is Dawson and he resides in London with his mother.

  • “I bought my first car at the age of 19” – Kuami Eugene

    “I bought my first car at the age of 19” – Kuami Eugene

    In a captivating revelation, Ghanaian singer, Kuami Eugene, has recently divulged intriguing details about his rapid success in the music industry.

    In a yen.com report, he disclosed that he purchased his first car at the tender age of 19, attributing it to the remarkable success of his viral hit song, “Angela.”

    He proudly stated, “I bought my first car at the age of 19, and it was an Elantra. I bought it myself after the success of ‘Angela.’

    “At that time, it cost me GH¢45,000. It was a significant milestone for me as it was the first time I had ever held such a substantial amount of money.”

    Kuami Eugene further hinted at his aspirations for the future, expressing his desire to acquire more luxurious cars.

    His ambitions are driven by his fascination with several other car brands that have captured his attention.

  • Nollywood actor Don Brymo dies at 56

    Nollywood actor Don Brymo dies at 56

    The Nollywood industry is in a state of mourning following the tragic demise of Don Brymo Uchegbu, a highly skilled veteran actor.

    Per reports, the 56-year-old actor, originally from Anambra State, was reportedly found deceased in his sleep on June 15, 2023.

    The devastating news was confirmed by his close colleague and friend; Mr Mayor Ofoegbu, who took to his Facebook page on Thursday morning to express his grief.

    In a heartfelt post, Ofoegbu shared, “Plan for tomorrow but live for today. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. I wrote those lines on my WhatsApp status yesterday evening.

    “My man, my 5 & 6, Don Brymo Uchegbu, passed in his sleep. I received the shocking news this morning and had to verify with his family. Chai! Don Brymo my manchi. It’s hard to say goodbye. Nnukwu nwa na Enugu ukwu.”

    Alongside his touching tribute, Ofoegbu shared a cherished photo of himself and the late actor.

    Don Brymo Uchegbu’s demise is a profound loss to the Nigerian film industry, where he had made a significant impact throughout his career.

    As a veteran actor, he leaves behind a rich legacy of memorable performances and contributions to the growth of Nollywood.

    The news of Uchegbu’s sudden passing has sent shockwaves through the entertainment community, as friends, colleagues, and fans come to terms with the loss.

    Tributes and condolences have poured in from fellow actors, directors, and industry professionals who admired his talent and respected him as a person.

  • Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association ‘cry’ over high cost of utility tariff

    Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association ‘cry’ over high cost of utility tariff

    The Ghana Hair Dressers and Beauticians Association (GHABA) has joined calls for government to reconsider the current cost of utility tariffs.

    According to the association, the frequent upward review in tariffs is hurting operators in their association.

    Utility tariffs witnessed an increase in the first quarter of 2023 with electricity going up by 29.96%, whilst that of water by 8.3%.

    As one of the sectors that depend heavily on water and electricity to execute their work, the association says the level of increment has become unbearable particularly at this time of economic hardship.

    Regional President of GHABA, Bernice Asantewaa Asantey, claimed that the high cost of utility has driven up the rates of their service, forcing customers to opt for the wearing of wigs, a trend that is hurting their business.

     “The increase in utility bills is affecting us so much. Looking at the economy now, people are not getting a rise in salary but prices have increased. When someone wears the wigs its takes time before the person will come to the salon”.

    She continued that the majority of women’s hairlines are being destroyed by the constant usage of wigs, despite the fact that wearing them is currently in style.

     “People are having receding hairline and hair loss; if they don’t have hair it means that we are out of business, although its fashion and it is convenient for the client.”

    The association was also unhappy that government failed to to engage its members before going ahead with the upward adjustment in tariffs.

     “We use electricity and water a lot. So government should do consultation before coming out with such tariffs. Otherwise it will affect citizens a lot. Right now, we also have to increase our prices but we are still debating on it”.

    The association is part of many others like the Ghana Hotels Association, the Association of Ghana Industries who have registered their displeasure with the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) decision to increase utility tariffs.

  • Date for by-election to succeed Boris Johnson as MP announced

    Date for by-election to succeed Boris Johnson as MP announced

    After Nigel Adams and fellow Tory Boris Johnson both resigned, two by-elections will be held on July 20.

    Both Adams’ Selby and Ainsty in North Yorkshire and Johnon’s former district of Uxbridge and South Ruislip in west London will hold elections.

    After getting a copy of a report from the MP-led Privileges Committee probing whether he had lied to Parliament over lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street during the Covid-19 outbreak, Johnson abruptly resigned from his position.

    Two of his closest allies, Nadine Dories and Adams, walked out the door with him, presenting the scandal-scarred Tory party with three electoral tests.

    Having read the findings ahead of public release, Johnson last Friday accused the committee of attempting to drive him out of office.

    ‘They have still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons,’ he said in his resignation letter.

    The Privileges Committee saw otherwise. In a 108-page document, MPs accused Johnson of being in ‘serious contempt’ by repeatedly and deliberately misleading Parliament.

    ‘The contempt was all the more serious because it was committed by the prime minister, the most senior member of the government,’ the report said.

    ‘There is no precedent for a prime minister having been found to have deliberately misled the House.’

    ‘He misled the House on an issue of the greatest importance to the House and to the public,’ MPs added, ‘and did so repeatedly.’

    Given that Johnson stood down, his punishments were limited.

    The committee would have recommended he be banned from Parliament for 90 days – one of the most serve sanctions.

    Instead, the committee recommended that the former PM’s parliamentary pass be toen up, meaning he can’t just swing by Parliament like he once could.

    And by quitting as an MP, Johnson saved himself from any humiliation if he lost his parliamentary seat in a by-election.

  • Michel Lotito: The man who ate an aeroplane, 18 bicycles, others

    Michel Lotito: The man who ate an aeroplane, 18 bicycles, others

    Michel Lotito, famously known as ‘Monsieur Mangetout’ (Mr Eat All), was a French performer who gained worldwide recognition for his astonishing ability to consume a wide range of objects that are typically considered inedible. His incredible feats led him to hold the record for the world’s strangest diet. In this article, we delve into the extraordinary life of Michel Lotito and his astonishing eating habits, as documented by Guinness World Records.

    Unusual Appetite and Achievement:
    Born in 1950 and passing away in 2007, Michel Lotito fascinated audiences by consuming objects made of metal, rubber, glass, and more. His most renowned achievement was devouring an entire airplane, but his appetite extended to bicycles, razor blades, plates, and even a supermarket trolley. To consume these items, Lotito used an electric power saw to cut them into manageable pieces, which he then swallowed like pills—a feat that would be fatal for most individuals.

    Michel Lotito biting into a car wheel at the 1997 London Motor Show| Image: Shutterstock via Guinness World Records
    Michel Lotito eating razor blades and bullets (1983) | Image: Shutterstock via Guinness World Records

    The Unconventional Preparations:
    To aid his unique eating habits, Lotito drank mineral oil and copious amounts of water, which acted as a lubricant. Surprisingly, he experienced no significant difficulties in excreting these unconventional ‘meals.’ Lotito shared that he sought advice from doctors, who suggested eating artichokes or paraffin oils with metal to facilitate digestion. However, he found that drinking several liters of water was more effective in aiding the process.

    The Origins of His Abilities:
    During an interview for Guinness World Records in 2006, Lotito revealed that he developed a tolerance for pain at the age of eight by practicing sophrology—a combination of self-hypnosis and relaxation techniques known to assist with pain control. It was at the age of 16 that Lotito discovered his ability to consume strange objects. He recounted how, after accidentally breaking a glass and having a piece in his mouth, he became inspired by stories of others who had eaten glass and decided to try it himself. Subsequently, he progressed to consuming razor blades, plates, and small metal items like nuts and bolts.

    Michel Lotito aka Monsieur Mangetout

    From Party Trick to Lucrative Career:
    What began as a mere party trick soon transformed into a lucrative career for Lotito. People began challenging him to consume larger objects, leading to appearances on television shows in South America and Canada. His daring performances extended beyond eating unusual items and included allowing matches to be lit under his fingernails and darts to be thrown into his back. Notably, he commanded a daily income of nearly $1,000 for his extraordinary feats.

    Guinness World Records Recognition:
    Lotito’s astonishing achievements were officially recognized by Guinness World Records. In 1979, he was acknowledged for consuming a bicycle within a record time of 15 days. He went on to break his own record a year later, consuming over 15 pounds (6.8 kg) of bicycle in just 12 days. His accomplishments were documented alongside other speed-eating records in the 1979 edition of the Guinness Book of Records.

    The Mystery of Pica and Lotito’s Physical Abilities:
    Lotito’s unique appetite can be attributed to a psychological disorder called pica, characterized by the craving and consumption of non-food items. While his biological makeup played a role in his ability to ingest and tolerate such objects, doubts were raised about whether his body was fundamentally different from that of an ordinary person. Gastroenterologists who X-rayed Lotito’s stomach noted his unusual capacity to consume 900 grams (2 pounds) of metal daily. However, they acknowledged that the true cause of his abilities remained elusive.

    Legacy and Passing:
    Michel Lotito’s captivating story came to an end when he passed away from natural causes in 2007, at the age of 57. The extent to which his unconventional diet contributed to his demise remains unknown. Nevertheless, over 15 years since his passing, Lotito’s life continues to serve as a fascinating and cautionary tale, leaving an indelible mark as a performer, entertainer, and one-of-a-kind record breaker.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is based on data sourced from the Guinness World Records website. We cannot guarantee its completeness or reliability. The content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. We do not endorse any views expressed or activities mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise their own discretion and seek appropriate legal and professional guidance. We will not be liable for any actions or consequences that arise from the use of this information.
  • I won’t hide my baby bump because Rihanna exposed hers too – Mzbel to netizens

    I won’t hide my baby bump because Rihanna exposed hers too – Mzbel to netizens

    Responding to those warning her about evil eyes looking at her unborn child in her womb, Mzbel, a Ghanaian singer, claims she is channeling her inner Rhianna and will not hide her pregnancy.

    According to her, if Rihanna can walk around with her naked belly and have a healthy baby, she can too This response comes after people criticised her for showing off her belly in previous photos

    According to the latest celebrity mother-to-be in town, she is not afraid of anyone or anything hurting her unborn baby.

    Mzbel shared a video putting her naked baby bump on full display to stamp her authority with the caption: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”.

    The 43-year-old song goddess Mzbel surprised Ghanaians with a pregnancy photo shoot on Sunday, June 11, 2023. In her first photo, she covered up entirely with a floral maxi dress.

    Her second photoshoot raised concerns as she uncovered her belly for all to see.

    Although Mzbel looked ravishing , some pointed out that showing off her naked baby bump wasn’t safe.

  • I am not retiring from music now – Amakye Dede

    I am not retiring from music now – Amakye Dede

    Ghanaian highlife icon, Amakye Dede, has expressed his firm belief that he will continue his music career for the foreseeable future and does not anticipate its conclusion anytime soon.

    The “Iron Boy” hitmaker, who has been in the music career for decades, disclosed that he has a new collaboration with Ghanaian rapper, Sarkodie.

    Appearing on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday, 14 June, Amakye Dede said: “I started performing live shows in Ghana based on my experience and work in Festac, Nigeria.”

    “I’ve been in the music industry for decades, and I’m not ready to stop yet,” the veteran musician said. “The music was in me and I was in the music; no one taught me to write music.”

    “I went to audition to join Akwasi Ampofo Agyei’s crew and after singing one of his songs, he hired me on the spot,” Amakye Dede recalled.

    “I worked with Akwasi Ampofo Agyei for almost five years, and he taught me a lot. He was my master and I gained his trust because I lived an exemplary life,” he added.